What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentTetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycine Soja Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Alaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningSyringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phospholipids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Bisabolol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone, Maltodextrin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
